NCLEX-RN
NCLEX RN Exam Preview Answers
1. A 6-month-old infant has been brought to the well-child clinic for a checkup. The infant is currently sleeping. What would the nurse do first when beginning the examination?
- A. Wake the infant before beginning the examination.
- B. Examine the infant's hips before the infant wakes up.
- C. Auscultate the lungs and heart while the infant is still sleeping.
- D. Begin with the assessment of the eye and continue with the remainder of the examination in a head-to-toe approach.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: When the infant is quiet or sleeping, it is an ideal time to assess the cardiac, respiratory, and abdominal systems. It is recommended not to wake the infant unnecessarily. Auscultating the lungs and heart while the infant is still sleeping allows for a comprehensive assessment without disturbing the infant. Examining the infant's hips prematurely may disrupt the infant's sleep. Starting with an assessment of the eye is not appropriate as it is an invasive procedure and should be performed towards the end of the examination after the non-invasive assessments have been completed.
2. A healthcare professional realizes after a patient has left the office that they forgot to document the patient's complaint of a sore throat. Which of the following choices would BEST correct the error?
- A. Pull out that page of the chart and rewrite it with the correct information.
- B. Put one line through the original Chief Complaint, write 'ERROR,' your initials, and today's date. Make the correction by rewriting the Chief Complaint with the correct information.
- C. Go to the next available line of the SOAP notes. Write the current date, then write 'Late Entry.' Place the date and time when the patient stated they had a sore throat. Sign and date the entry.
- D. All of the above are incorrect.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: When adding information to a patient's chart after the encounter, using the term 'Late Entry' is essential. This clearly indicates that the information was added after the fact and helps to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the medical record. Option A is incorrect because removing a page from the chart and rewriting it can lead to inaccuracies and is not a recommended practice for correcting errors. Option B suggests marking the original Chief Complaint as an error, which may not be clear to future readers of the chart and could lead to confusion. Option D is incorrect as it dismisses the correct approach outlined in Option C, which is the best way to handle the situation of missed documentation during a patient encounter.
3. Many Asians believe in the yin/yang theory, which is rooted in the ancient Chinese philosophy of Tao. Which statement most accurately reflects this philosophy's view of "health"??
- A. A person is able to work and produce.
- B. A person is happy, stable, and feels good.
- C. All aspects of the person are in perfect balance.
- D. A person is able to care for others and function socially.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: In the yin/yang theory rooted in ancient Chinese philosophy, health is believed to exist when all aspects of a person are in perfect balance. This includes physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Choice C accurately reflects this philosophy's view of health. Choices A, B, and D do not capture the essence of the yin/yang theory. Being able to work and produce, being happy and stable, or caring for others and functioning socially, while important, do not encompass the holistic balance emphasized in the yin/yang theory.
4. The rehabilitation nurse wishes to make the following entry into a client's plan of care: 'Client will reestablish a pattern of daily bowel movements without straining within two months.' The nurse would write this statement under which section of the plan of care?
- A. Nursing diagnosis/problem list
- B. Nursing orders
- C. Short-term goals
- D. Long-term goals
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is 'Long-term goals.' Long-term goals are designed to describe changes in client behavior expected over a time frame greater than one week. In this case, the goal of reestablishing a pattern of daily bowel movements without straining within two months falls under a long-term goal. Long-term goals are aimed at restoring normal functioning in a problem area and are beneficial for healthcare workers caring for the client across different settings. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because nursing diagnosis/problem list, nursing orders, and short-term goals do not encompass the desired timeframe or level of expected change in this scenario.
5. The healthcare professional notices that a colleague is preparing to check the blood pressure of a patient who is obese by using a standard-sized blood pressure cuff. How would this likely affect the blood pressure reading?
- A. Yield a falsely low blood pressure
- B. Yield a falsely high blood pressure
- C. Be the same, regardless of cuff size
- D. Vary as a result of the technique of the person performing the assessment
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Using a cuff that is too narrow for an obese patient would likely yield a falsely high blood pressure reading. This occurs because the standard cuff is too small for the arm's circumference, requiring more pressure to compress the artery. A tight cuff can lead to inaccurate and elevated blood pressure readings. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because using an improperly sized cuff would not yield a falsely low blood pressure, the blood pressure reading does vary with cuff size, and the technique of the person performing the assessment is not the primary factor affecting the reading in this situation.
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